Acetylene-gas-generating lamp



Patented Sepi 6, |898.

w. H. DENNIS. ACETYIQENE GAS GENERATING LAMP.

(Application led Oct. 28, 1896.;

(No Model.)

'ma dams wnsns'o. PHoToAUrno, wAsmNmou. n'c,

, acetylene gas, and further and particularly UNITED STATESI ATENT FFICE.

`AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOV THE AMERICAN UNIVERSAL LIGHTING' COMPANY, OF CHIPPEWA FALLS, WISCONSIN.

ENERATING LAMP.

SPECIFICATIONl forming part of Letters Patent N o. 610,477, dated September 6, 1898.

Application filed October 28, 1896.

To all whom t may concern.'

Y Be it known that I, WILLIAM II. DENNIS, of the city of Minneapolis, county of'IfIennepin, State of Minnesota, have' invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene- Gas Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to acetylene-gas lamps; and the object of my invention is to provide a lamp adapted to generate and burn the object of this invention is to provide a lamp of this class which will be adapted for use not only in residences, offices, and buildings, but also in ships and vessels, railway coaches or cars, and vehicles generally, the rolling and jarring motion of which precludes the safe and reliable vemployment of other known acetylene-burners.

To this end my invention consists in the combination, with a suitable upright support or standard, of two tanks arranged on opposite sides thereof and connected by a suitable duct or passage, one of said 'tanks being a water-container and provided with a gas-condenser, wherefrom the gas is conducted to the burners, which are preferably carried by said standard, and the other tank or cylinder hav` ing a removable shell or holder'to receive gasproducing material and having a lower end, which when the shell is inserted forms the bottom of the said tank or cylinder; and my invention further consists in novel means for regulating the flow of water from the watertank to the interior of said shell; and, further, my invention consists in various and particular constructions, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the' accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a vertical section of the lamp enlarged. Fig. 2 is a further-enlarged plan detail of the water-distributing disks used above the shell which contains the carbid or other gas -producing material. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional detail, on the line c as of Fig. 1, showing the water-regulating device. As shown in the drawings, 2 represents the base of the standard or support 3.

24: about the inner wall 25.

Serial No. 610,280. (No model.)

This part 3 is preferably a tube for lightness and to accommodate a gas-pipe at the top.

The main parts of my device are the twin tanks or chambers 5 and 6, both of which re- ,semble the oil-receptacle'of a student-lamp. The receptacle 5 is preferably enlarged at the top and has afllling-opening and plug 7 and 8, respectively, for filling 'it with water. 9 is a residue-pocket, which may be drained through the small drip-cock 10. From I[his pocket 9 a pipe 11 extends upwardly and is carriedout of the side of the tank and eX- tends through an ornamental arm or pipe 12, which connects the tanks 5 and 6 on opposite Sides of the standard. The pipe bends and is carried up and furnishes gas to a burner or burners, (not shown,) which latter are arranged above and supported on the standard in anyl suitable way. In place of separate burners a single perforated coil may be used beneath a single shade in the style of a Sun burner. Within the water-tank 5 is the coil 14, the lower end-14 of which leads into the pocket 9. The upper end 14.2 passes through the cross-pipe 12 into the upper part of the opposite tank or chamber. This chamber or tank is preferably of the same exterior appearance as the Water-tank, but the enlarged upper part thereof is separated .from the smaller lower part by a diaphragm or partition or iioor 15, and the said coil connects with the upper of the two chambers 16 and 17 thus formed in this tank or generator part. This upper chamber 16 has a large screw cap or top 18, which may be readily removed. The joint 19 is packed by a gasket 20. The floor has a hole 21 to receive the neck 22 of a basket 22', having a screen-licor 23 and adapted to contain a purifying agent-any suitable absorbent chemical or material. The basket has a bail 22, by which it may be lifted out. The top of the basket 22' is open, so that the gas will pass up through the purifying agent and downwardly to the opening into the coilpipe 14.2.. The lower part of the tank 6 is double-walled, with a deep annular water-leg This leg or space is tightly closed at the bottom 26, but at the top the ring 27, connecting the two cylinders IOO or tubes, has perforations 28 to allow water to overflow the edge of the inner wall or cylinder. The inner cylinder 25 extends a little above said ring 27 and in this extended edge has notches 30 corresponding to the little troughs 3l, stamped in the concave disk 32. This disk 32 is preferably permanent, and

' the troughs 3l are of different lengths and end in holes through which the water drops upon the carbid in the shell 33 beneath. By leading the troughs to varied positions an even distribution of the water over the surface of the carbid is insured. The construction may be modified to admit the water to the bottom of the shell. The shell 33 comprises the cylinder or sleeve 34, the solid bottom 35, and the screen-bottom 3G. The screen may be removable. The sleeve or sides of the shell fit so snugly int-o the space within the inner wall of the tank as to bind therein and be supported by friction, while being easily removable upon the application of a slight pull. The carbid is placed in the shelliand rests on the screen-bottom. Beneath this and in the solid bottom 35 I provide a depression or hopper to receive the refuse or slaked material, which may be easily cleansed when the screen 3G is removed and the shell inverted.

It will be noted that the outer wall of the tank extends down below the innei` wall and that the bottom 35 is extended at the edge. O11 this iiange or extended edge I place a rubber ring or washer 352, which pushes up against the bottom of the water-leg and the said outer wall-and packs the joint tightly to prevent the escape of gas. The water is conducted through a pipe 3S from the water-tank into the water-leg of the other or generator tank, and in this pipe and preferably so arranged as to be included in the outline of the support 3 is a valve 39, which has a thumbpiece or handle 40 for adjusting it by hand. In order to automatically shut off the Water when by accident or design the gas is turned off at the burners Without at the same time shutting off the water-valve 39, I extend a small lever 4l from the valve-plug into position to be engaged by a pin 4t2 on the shell. The lever has a slot 43 to permit the closing of the valve by hand. The water should be turned off some time before the gas at the burner in order to practically consume all gas within the lamp before extinguishing the light; but if this is not done the pres- Asure of gas in the generator will blow or slowly crowd down the shell, and its pin will force down the lever and close the water-valve. After this the valve can only be opened again upon irst pushing back the shell to its place. The closing of the water-valve may evidently be accomplished with a spring-diaphragm arranged anywhere in the walls of the generator and adapted to act on the valve-lever.

The operation of my lamp is as follows: The water-tank is lilled with water, the condenser being thereby submerged. The basket 22 is filled with the purifying substance or left empty, as desired. The shell is withdrawn from the gasgenerator tank and is about half filled with carbid, enough space being allowed therein for the swelling or expansion of the residue, which occupies more space than the original carbid. After the shell is inserted in the double-walled tank or cylinder, closing the bottom of the same, the water-valve is opened, and the water flowing in from the other tank gradually rises in the water space or leg surrounding the said shell or holder. Overflowing the top of the inner wall of the Water-leg, the water flows upon the perforated distributer, hopper, or cone and drops vfrom thence upon the carbid beneath. The combination of the water and the carbid produces acetylene gas, which, rising,flows upward into the gas-chamber, which contains the purifier-basket. The gas in passing through the material in the basket is relieved of its impurities and much of its moisture. From this chamber the gas passes through the pipe 14 to the cool-coil in the water-tank. Here the gas is condensed to remove all liquid impurities from it, the same collecting in the pocket 9, provided in the lower part of the tank. The gas finally passes upward through the pipe ll, which is concealed in the standard 3 and is connected at its upper end with the gas burner or burners. When the gas is ignited at the burner, it produces a brilliant white light. The shell is held in place by friction only, and it will be forced out by any considerable gas-pressure Within the lamp. This movement I take ad vantage of to automatically close the Watervalve, the same acting through the short lever 4l, described as engaging the lug on the shell. rlhis is really only an emergency regulation. The actual regulation is accomplished by the gas driving the Water back in the water-leg and the duct from the same toward the water-tank- The principal advantages of the lamp arise from its simplicity, its cheapness, its stability, its neatness, and more particularly from the employment of separate and distinct tanks or body portions fo r the generator and water-tank, with the absolute control of the water-supply dependent on gravity only and with but a small quantity of water pres ent in the generator at any time, making it possible to use the lamp in all conceivable places with perfect safety. A further advantage is derived from the large supplies of Water and carbid which may be contained in so small a compass, making it possible to run the lamp continuously for several days Without refilling the water-tank.

It is obvious that the number of tanks may be multiplied, as may other parts, that the purifier may be omitted, and, further, that many modifications will readily be suggested to one skilled'in the art, and I therefore do not confine myself to the precise construction shown and described.

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610,477 i I ,is

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Y l. The combination in an acetylene gas lamp, of a vertical support with water and generator tanks or cylinders arranged on opposite sides of said support and connected by a water-duct leading from the water-tank to the upper part of the other tank or cylinder, the last-mentioned tank having a gasoutlet and having an open lower end, and a shell or holder adapted to be inserted in the open end of said tank and having a lower end, which when the said shell is in place forms the bottom of said tank, said shell being readily removable to permit the iillin g or emptying thereof, substantially as described.

2. The combination in an acetylene-gas lamp or generator of two tanks or cylinders suitably supported-in substantially the same horizontal plane and having their lower ends connected by a valved duct, with a holder or shell removably arranged in the lower part of one of said tanks and having a lower end forming the bottom thereof, a water space or channel leading upward from said duct to deliver water from the other tank into the top of said holder or shell, and forming a column of water which will be depressed by an excess of gas-pressure, whereby the water-supply is interrupted and the lamp or generator made self regulable, substantially as described.

3. The combination in a gas-generating lamp, of a pair of independent tanks or cylinders, one to contain water and the other being a generator, of a shell or holder movable in said generator-tank and adapted to contain gas-producing material, a water-duct connecting the two tanks, a valve provided therein and means whereby said shell being moved by gas-pressure, operates said valve, substantially as described. n

4. The combination, with a gas cylinder or tank having a gas-outlet at its top, and also provided wit-h water supply or distributing means in its upper portion, of a shell fitting in the lower portion of said gas-cylinder and having a lower end which closes or constitutes the bottom of the said gas-cylinder, shoulders provided on the lower ends of the cylinder and the said shell, and a flexible packing carried by one part and bound between said shoulders when the shell is inserted, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a gas-lamp, of a vertical support or standard, with the two tanks or cylinders supported therefrom and connected by a duct, one of said tanks having an opening in its top and adapted to contain water, said cylinder also containing a gascondenser having a connection with the upper part of the other tank, a gas burner or burners connectedwith said condenser, said other or the second tank being provided in its upper part with water supply or distributing means connected with said duct, the

second tank having a gas-tight or closed top `and an open lower end, through which the material is inserted, and movable means for closing said lower end, substantially as described.

6. The combination in a gas-lamp, of the two separate tanks, one a generator having an open lower end, and the other a watercontainer,with a material-shell adapted to be inserted upward into the said generator, a duct between the tanks, aWater-distributer in the generator, and a water-leg in the Walls of the generator to cool the same andsupplied from said water-tank, substantially as described.

7. The combination in a gas-lamp, of the two tanks or cylinders, one for water, and the other the generator, with a material shell or space within the latter, an annular water-leg provided between the walls of the cylinder and said shell or space and of less height than the cylinder, means for circumferentially feeding the water from said water-leg to said shell or space, and said Water-leg being connected with said water-tank, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a gas-lamp of the two vertical tanks or cylinders, arranged side by side, one for water and the other the generator,with a material-space in said generator, a water-distributer in the upper part of the generator and above or over said space to drop water upon the contents thereof, a water-leg in the walls of the generator, to keep the lower outer walls of the generator cool, and means to supply both said distributer and said Water-leg with Water from the said Water-tank, substantially as described.

9. In a gas-generating lamp, the combination, with the tank or chamber provided with a gas-outlet, of a water-leg surrounding or in the walls of the said tank means to supply water thereto, and said water-leg having an opening or openings at or near its top, through which t-he water may fall into the space between the inner walls of thelwaterleg, and whereby the surface of the water is exposed to the pressure of gas, to be forced down thereby and cut off the water feed 0r flow, substantially as described.

10. In a gas-generating lamp, the combination, with the tank having an open lower end, of a shell having a closed bottom and adapt-ed to be inserted into said open lower end of said tank, a disk having drip-openings, troughs leading thereto, and means for supplying water to the same, substantially as described.

ll. The water-distributer for gas-generating lamps comprising the concave disk having drip-holes and the troughs leading thereto, substantially as described.

l2. Inl agas-generating lamp, the combination with the tank or cylinder, of a movable shell provided therein and adapted to be forced out by pressure of gas within said tank, means for supplying Water to said shell,

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a valve for controlling the iiow of Water, a valve-lever, and a lug,` upon said shell to en- 'gage the same, whereby when the shell is moved by gas-pressure said Water-valve is closed automatically, substantially as described.

13. In a gas-generator, the tank or chamber having the removable top and the open bottom, and an intermediate partition, in

combination with a removable shell, adapted to be inserted into said tank, through the open lower end thereof, means for supplying Water to the interior thereof, and a purifierbasket above said partition and having a neck or sleeve projecting through the partition and communicating with the space beneath it, said basket being removable through the top of said tank or chamber, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of October, A. D. 1896.

VILLIAM H. DENNIS.

In presence of- C. G. HAWLEY, M. E. GooLEY. 

